Tom worked hard in an office. But it seemed that there was little change in his life. He was unhappy and didn't want to improve himself any more. His father, Joe, knew this and decided to have a talk with 1 .
One day, Tom and his father went for a walk after dinner. 2 they were walking along a river, Tom said, “Dad, you always tell me to learn something new. To be3, I don't want to make any change.”
Joe looked in the river, saw a dead 4and pointed at it.
“Tom, what is that over there?”
“It's a dead fish.”
“What's the fish doing?”
“It's moving down with the running water.”
“But the fish is dead. 5 can it be moving?” asked Joe.
“It's moving as the river is moving.”
Joe turned to his son and said, “Life is 6 the river. It's always moving and always changing. Some people don't want to change, but their life is always changing whether they like it or not. A dead fish only moves along the river, while a living fish can control its journey. What's your choice if you want to live a 7 life?”
This made Tom 8 his aunt who had already stopped learning and developing. And she just stayed the way she used to be, living like a dead fish.
Guided by his 9 , Tom understood what he said. He didn't want to become a person like his aunt. So he made up his mind to 10 learning and developing himself.
Everyone has dreams. Lily dreamed of being a dancer. She took 1 lessons and all her teachers thought she was an excellent student.
One day she saw a notice. It said that a famous dancing group would be performing in her town. 2 though, “I must show the leader my dancing skills.” She waited for the group leader in the dressing room. 3 the leader appeared, she came up and hander him the flowers she prepared. The thorns (刺) hurt her fingers and blood came out. But she was too 4 to care about the pain. She expressed her strong wish to be a dancer and begged (乞求) to show her dance.
“All right, you dance.” The leader agreed. But half way through the dance, he stopped her, “I'm sorry, in my mind you're not good enough!” On hearing this, Lily 5 out as fast as her legs could carry her. It was so hard for her to accept this. She lost heart and 6 her dream.
Several years later, the dancing group came to her town again. She decided to find out 7the leader had told her she was not good enough.
This was his reply, “I tell this 8 every student.”
“You've ruined (毁掉) my life!” she shouted angrily.
The leader went on, “I remember your present of 9and how the thorns had hurt your fingers but you carried on bravely. It was a pity that you didn't take dancing like that and stopped trying so 10 . So you are still not good enough for dancing!”
A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a lot of small glass 1. The girl had some candies with her. The boy told the girl that he would2her all his balls in exchange for (交换) her candies. The girl thought that was a good3.
But the boy didn't give4of his balls to the girl. He kept the biggest and the5ball in his pocket and gave the others to the girl. 6the girl gave him all her candies.
That night, the girl had a 7sleep, but the boy didn't sleep well. He kept thinking whether the girl had 8some candies from him.
You think in the way you do things. If you don' t give your hundred percent(百分之百) in a relationship, you'll 9 keep thinking if the other person has given his or her hundred percent. This is true for any relationship.
Give your hundred percent to everything you do and you'll find that you can always10a lot of happiness.
When the Spring Festival falls, red flowers bloom(盛开) on the windows of my home. Of course, these are not1flowers. But in the cold of2, these wonderful flowers bring warmth to us. They are made of paper by my3, who is now aged 70, with a few cuts, she 4a piece of paper into a beautiful work of art.
When my grandma was considered clumsy(笨拙的) in the 5. But on a cold winter night, she saw some beautiful red paper6 on her new neighbor's windows. She was so interested in it and decided to 7from her neighbor. Tons of paper was wasted, and her fingers were cut many times. But she8practicing. It took 10 years9my grandma could make paper art skillfully(娴熟地). The red flowers, blooming like hurning fire, light up her world. Now, everyone in the village10her.
My grandma's story has shown me what it takes to realize one's dream.
American President Roosevelt's house was once broken into and lots of things were stolen. Hearing this, one of Roosevelt's friends wrote to him and 1 him not to take it to his heart so much. President Roosevelt 2 back at once, saying, “Dear friend, thank you for your letter to comfort me. I'm all right now. I think I should thank God. This is because of the following three 3: firstly, the thief (小偷) only stole things from me 4 did not hurt me at all; secondly, the thief has stolen some of my things 5 all my things; thirdly, most 6 for me, it was the man 7 me who became a thief.”
It was quite unlucky for anyone to be stolen from. However, President Roosevelt was so 8.
It is 9 for anyone to be lucky and successful all the time as long as he lives on the earth. We should learn how to 10 failure or misfortune bravely and to try to deal with it. Being thankful can bring us a better life.
In San Francisco, I had this amazing experience. While I was waiting for the bus, I saw a homeless person carrying a 1 which said that he would like a cup of hot coffee.
As soon as I 2it, I knew it was time for me to carry out the task. I joyfully ran across the street, thinking that getting 3 a cup of hot coffee would be great. I went to Uncle Bob's nearby and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me a 4. I then walked back to the street corner where the man had 5. As I went up to him. I could see that the 6 I got, the more joy in his eyes I could see.
When I 7 him the hot coffee, I just said, "This is 8 you, my dear." I could see so much 9 in his face and even a tear (眼泪) was running down. He kept thanking me and holding his coffee like the biggest 10 and prize in his life. It made me cry that a(n) 11 action can bring so much joy and make someone feel really warn.
I walked back to the 12 with such a happy hop. When the bus driver opened the door and I wanted to pay the bus fee, 13, he waved me through and said, "Honey, you don't need to pay. This is on me." He explained that it 14 his heart to see that I gave away free coffee.
This 15 moment was the warmest in my heart and it gave my day and my life a brand new start. It brings me such a joy to simply love and bless.
Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20th century. In his short life he wrote 1 300 songs and an opera.
Xian was born in Panyu, Guangdong, China in 1905. Because his father died before he was born, Xian moved from place to place with 2 mother. He began learning to play 3 violin when he was 20 years old. In the beginning, his violin was 4 cheap and badly made that he5not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not stop 6 and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first Chinese students7studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he 8, Xian became the school's best student 9 won several prizes for his talents.
In 1935, he returned to China and helped fight against the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan'an 10 music at a college. 11 there were no pianos in Yan'an at that time Xian still wrote 12 of his most important music there, including The Yellow River, his most famous work.
In May 1940, Xian 13 to the Soviet Union by the Chinese Communist Party to write music for movies. In the Soviet Union, life was very 14. Xian got sick and later died of a lung illness 15 October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian's music, however, lives on in the people's hearts.
When I was young, I went to a boarding（寄宿）school in Edinburgh. It was far from home because I1on an island in the north of Scotland.
It was a music school, and I studied the violin. At the end of the term, we all packed our bags and our 2 to go home for the holidays. Most kids went by train or bus. Some were 3 by their parents. But I had to go home by ferry—14 hours overnight on the open sea.
One summer, after packing my suitcase and violin, I said4to my friends. I took the train to the ferry terminal（渡船码头）and then got on the ferry. But when the ferry started moving, I realized a(n)5thing! I left my violin on the train!
Oh no! What should I do? What would my dad say? He'd be really6! I got so scared（害怕）that I didn't sleep all night.
The next morning, I7the ferry to meet my dad. After I told him everything, he laughed. I looked at him and couldn't believe it.8was he laughing?
I always had a label（标签）in my violin case with my address and a telephone number. My dad told me, "A cleaner found your violin on the train and took it to the police. They 9 me and put it on a plane. It arrived an hour ago." 10, my violin was safe. I was so happy!
Thirty engineers were working as a team in a company. They were young and eager to learn. The management decided to teach them about finding real solutions to problems
One day, the team was called for a 1in a hall. They were quite surprised and all reached the hall holding various2. As they entered, they found a box placed in the center, full of flat balloons
The manager asked everyone to pick a balloon and blow it up. Then they were asked to write their names on their respective(各自的)balloons 3so that the balloons wouldn't blow out. All tried, but not everyone was 4. Five balloons blew out due to pressure（压力）.
Those who failed to mark their names on the balloons were 5 out of the game. As a result, 25 engineers came to the next level. All the balloons carrying their names were 6 and then put into a room, here and there.
The engineers were told to pick the balloon with his or her name on. All the 25 engineers began to search for the respective balloons in a rush. It was almost 15 minutes but no one was able to 7 the right one. The second level of the game was over.
Then came the final level, the engineers were asked to pick any balloon and give it to person named on the balloon. Within a couple of minutes, all balloons 8 the hands of the respective engineers.
The manager announced this was the real solution to the problem. Many times in our life, sharing and helping others give us real solutions to problems.
I know a Catherine who is smart, educated and interesting. But I avoid her because she never1 complaining(抱怨)! For years, I fought against my feelings, because I really like and admire her, but I've found I just can't be her friend. Her world is 2 “buts…”. The trip would have been nice, but the drive was too long. The food was good, but the light of the restaurant was too 3. The hotel was too hot, the bed hurt her back and the room service was too slow. Her complaints were 4 changing me. Months ago, my best friend Daisy was listening to me complaining about Catherine 5 she just became really angry. “Either break up with her, or leave me alone.” She shouted at me, “I'm tired of listening to your complaining.” Her honesty surprised me, and I began to keep myself away from Catherine. Later, I did6 her.
Now I try to remain happy and positive (积极的) about life, and find friends of the same. There's been scientific research lately. It shows that people who find7 to be thankful for their lives are actually happier, and I believe that is true. Endless complaining seems to control your life if you let it come into your brain. And too much complaining will actually make your life 8 .
Some people take “gratitude (感激之情) walks” every day, where they9 their lives in a positive way. By developing a grateful attitude, you can be turned away from what's troubling you, and10what makes you happy. Then you will have a beautiful life.
